Monday, April 30, 2012

I finished reading Monet Talks by Tamar Myers this past weekend. It's another cozy mystery novel part of Tamar Myers's Den of Antiquity Series and is the sixth novel I've read in this particular cozy mystery series so far.

I was thrilled that Monet Talks was so much more entertaining to read than the previous Tamar Myers novel I read, which was titled So Faux, So Good.

Monet Talks was funny, the storyline and characters were good for the most part. Plus, Monet Talks was a fast novel to read, mainly due to the storyline and fun characters this time around. The following is a description of Monet Talks from the author's website:

Charleston antiques dealer Abigail
Timberlake Washburn is thrilled by her recent estate auction purchase of a
spectacular bejeweled birdcage from India, but not so much by its
occupant, a mouthy mynah named Monet. Still, her customers at the Den of
Antiquity seem charmed by the insufferable birdbrain, so Abby figures
she's stuck with him. That is, until she finds a stuffed starling resting
on his usual perch with a ransom note demanding a real Monet (the painted
variety) in exchange for her purloined pet.

Since
she doesn't happen to have a priceless masterpiece on hand--and since a
mynahless existence isn't all that distasteful a prospect--Abby figures
she'll let the thief keep the annoying avian. But when her mama Mozella is
abducted by the craven birdnapper, Abby must leap into the fray to rescue
mater and mynah alike ... before the feathers really start to fly!

The only complaint I have about this novel is that I was surprised by whodunit. I would have never guessed the person whodunit to be the one who did. I suppose this is a good thing in some regards, but the guilty person seemed to come out of nowhere. Other than that, I'd recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys reading cozy mystery novels.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

My post yesterday had me thinking about all of the wonderful characters from novels I've read over the years and what it would be like to met some of them (if it were possible) in real life.

I found the following characters to be interesting, different, likeable, unique, intriguing and/or simply fun.

1) Hercule Poirot, the Belgium detective found in several of Agatha Christie's novels.

2) Miss Marple from Agatha Christie's novels and short stories.

3) Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall Fraser & James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. I found them both to be fun and interesting characters. Jamie is sexier than hell!

5) Behemoth from Mikhail Bulgalov's The Master & Margarita. Who wouldn't want to meet an enormous black cat, capable of standing on two legs and talking as well as his love of chess, vodka and pistols? Talk about unique characters!

6) Captain Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea... The best antiheroes ever!

7) Great-Uncle Magnus Pringle from Ultra-Violet Catastrophe! Or, The Unexpected Walk with Great-Uncle Magnus Pringle by Margaret Mahy. Wouldn't it have been to have him as an uncle?

8) Chiyo/Nitta Sayuri the lead character from Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden... I enjoyed reading this book and liked the leading character.

9) Samuel Hamilton and Lee from Steinbeck's East of Eden. Both were my favorite characters from East of Eden.

Which fictional characters do you think would make interesting dinner guests at a dinner party?

Friday, April 27, 2012

If you could host a dinner party and invite any number of authors from the past or present, who would they be and why would you choose these authors to attend your dinner party?

I'd select the following writers to attend my dinner party:

1) William Shakespeare as he's endured the test of time and is cherished by many fans around the world. Besides who wouldn't be curious as to what he'd be like as a person in real life?

2) Agatha Christie because she's the grand dame of mystery writing and I love her novels!

3) Mikhail Bulgakov because I loved reading his satirical novel the Master & Margarita... When you read something like Master & Margarita, one can't help but wonder what the author was really like in real life!

6) Maya Angelou is an engaging speaker, writer and poet. I've seen her speak before a live audience twice in the past & she is always interesting and entertaining. She'll recite poetry, sing, and speak about a wide variety of topics in an intelligent manner... She'd make an excellent dinner party guest.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

I am an avid Bookcrosser!! I enjoy sharing my love of reading with other like minded readers by exchanging books and also meeting new people when the opportunity presents itself.

Last weekend, I was in San Diego County celebrating my stepdad's birthday with my mom and my husband. On our return drive home, my husband and I stopped off in Vista, California to specifically visit Panera Bread, which contains an active Official Bookcrossing Zone inside (OBCZ).

An Official Bookcrossing Zone is a place where active members of the Bookcrossing community as well as other members of the community may leave and/or take books from a designated location within a particular establishment. In this case, there is a small bookcase inside Panera Bread filled with a fabulous selection of books that have been registered on Bookcrossing by the many wonderful Bookcrossing members at large.

This was my first visit to this particular Panera Bread location and the fourth OBCZ I've visited over the years. I ended up releasing three books during our brief visit and taking three additional novels home with me --- The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht, Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris, and A Penny Urned by Tamar Myers were the books I've added to my current and ever growing to be read pile. All three novels were in almost pristine condition, but, the most exciting part was that two of the three novels were ones that had been on wishlist for quite awhile.

Needless to say I left Panera Bread a happy camper last Sunday afternoon! I plan to stop by the Vista Panera Bread location during future visits to see my parents. It'll be fun to release books there again and find other wonderful books to read as well!

Monday, April 23, 2012

I had a fabulous time being a volunteer book giver for the first annual 2012 World Book Night here in the USA!! I finished distributing all twenty copies of Maya Angelou's autobiography I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by 4:30pm this afternoon. I gave away about two-thirds of the books in downtown Carpinteria and the remaining amount of books to people in my neighborhood and a couple copies of I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings went to family members I want to encourage to read.

I am so looking forward to signing up next year to be a 2013 World Night Book volunteer book giver!! I love sharing the joy of reading with others. Becoming lost in a book is a wonderful thing!

If you signed up to be a 2012 World Book Night volunteer book giver, please share your experience with us here!!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

This year the Women's Literary Festival in Santa Barbara will be held on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at the beautiful Fess Parker Doubletree Resort from 8:30am to 3:30pm.

Admission is $65 per person and includes parking, morning coffee, lunch and author presentations. Attendance is limited to 300 participants and preregistration is available online by clicking on the link above.

I stumbled upon The Dead Beat while perusing through a Borders Bookstore's bargain section and it's unique title and cover design caught my attention immediately, so I thought I'd give it a go. Little did I know I'd enjoy reading this little gem of a book! I never thought I'd enjoy reading about the subject of obituaries, but Ms. Johnson's writing style and her way of sharing information makes reading about obituaries fun. I learned a lot about the topic of obituaries and have a new appreciate of this dying art form.

The following is an editorial review of The Dead Beat from Amazon.com:

Once upon a time, journalism profs duly instructed their greenhorn grads
to seek out community papers and the obit pages as logical entrance
points into the world of newspaper reporting. Working for cash-strapped
local papers allowed novices to practice writing everything from hard
news to lifestyle features. Obituaries, meanwhile, were a rung on the
ladder of major publications, albeit the lowest. The musty, dusty obit
pages also traditionally hosted aging reporters put out to pasture. Not
any more, argues Marilyn Johnson in her unabashedly knock-kneed love
letter to the obit pages, The Dead Beat. Today, august publications like The New York Times, England's Daily Telegraph, Independent, and The Economist, and Canada's Globe and Mail
use exalted members of the fourth estate to turn out smart, hip
tributes to widespread, almost cultish, acclaim. Why? Because, as
Johnson persuasively demonstrates in her book, truth is almost always
stranger than fiction and a well-written, deeply researched obit is not
only a vital historical record but a damn fine read over coffee and
toast. "God is my assignment editor," cracks Richard Pearson of the Washington Post
and if that isn't more interesting than what's going on in your city
council chambers, author Johnson and those working the so-called Dead
Beat don't know what is. As Johnson explains in free-wheeling
prose, today's obit writers are virtual folk heroes with global Internet
followings and their own conventions. With care and an ear for gentle
humor, Johnson guides her readers through the surprisingly structured,
labyrinthine obit scene, pausing to meet the writers while pondering
both the essence of our being and why, in the right hands, the life of
an average Joe can be just as riveting as the shenanigans of a
high-flying playboy. And infinitely more resonant. Savvy J-school
professors and their students are advised to take heed. --Kim Hughes

Pick up a copy of The Dead Beat and find out for yourself why this book is such a good read. Maybe you'll become an avid obituary reader after reading Marilyn Johnson's book!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

I finished reading May Day by Jess Lourey yesterday and absolutely enjoyed reading every page of this cozy mystery novel. Jess Lourey is a new author to me and May Day is the first novel in Lourey's Murder-by-Month Mysteries series.

I love Jess Lourey's writing style. She knows how to create a great story that captures and holds your attention from page one. I actually read this book in three days and would have probably finished reading it sooner if I wasn't so busy living life!

Best of all, the lead character Lourey has created, Mira James, is like a breath of fresh air. Ms. James is smart, witty and different from other leading cozy sleuths I've read of late.

The following is a book description of May Day from Jess Lourey's website for a taste of what this cozy novel is all about:

A hip, humorous, and gripping account of small-town murder, this novel
is the first in a series of comic caper mysteries featuring Mira James,
an urban woman with rural Minnesota roots.

Minneapolitan Mira James has been taking it easy since college
graduation - too easy. Due to a dead-end job and a cheating boyfriend,
the Twin Cities have lost their charm, and Mira decides to begin a new
life in rural Battle Lake. Right away she is offered jobs as an
assistant librarian and part-time reporter, and falls into an unexpected
romance with a guy who seems to be the perfect man -- until he turns up
dead between the reference stacks her tenth day on the job.

Anxious to learn more about the man who had briefly stolen her heart,
Mira delves into the hidden mysteries of Battle Lake, including a old
land deed with ancient Ojibwe secrets, an obscure octogenarian crowd
with freaky social lives, and a handful of thirty something high school
buddies who hold bitter, decades-old grudges. Mira soon discovers that
unknown dangers are concealed under the polite exterior of this quirky
small town, and revenge is a tator-tot hot dish best served cold.

You may also enjoy reading an excerpt of May Day from the author's website!! Click on the link above to download a pdf excerpt for your reading pleasure.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

I'm sure by now you've all heard the buzz that J. K. Rowling has written a new novel for adults titled The Casual Vacancy. It's being released later this year on September 27, 2012 and will be available in hardcover, ebook and audio editions. Watch the above video news feed about J. K. Rowling's new novel from the Wall Street Journal for more information and insight about The Casual Vacancy.

Are you planning to buy and read The Casual Vacancy? I don't plan to read her new novel myself. I have not even read any of the Harry Potter novels. I do wish J. K. Rowling all the success in the world with the release of her upcoming novel and hope the transition from children's author to adult author goes smoothly for her.

Just in case you haven't heard what The Casual Vacancy is about, the product description on Amazonstates the following:

When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock.Pagford
is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an
ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.Rich
at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war
with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not
what it first seems.And the empty seat left by Barry on the town’s
council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet
seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity
and unexpected revelations?

Monday, April 16, 2012

Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy Thomas is a fabulous book I've recently read and I thoroughly enjoyed to the core... It's a fun, fast, easy breezy book to enjoy as a quick picker upper! It's a memoir.... It's about sweets and the quest for delicious pastries/desserts and much more... So, if you're a foodie and you like all things sweets related, then you'll love reading this memoir. Also, if you like both New York City & Paris, you'll enjoy reading this book too. Plus, the author, Amy Thomas, kinda reminds me of Carrie Bradshaw from the hit television series Sex in the City.

Buy and read Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy Thomas.... It'll make you want to visit Paris or New York City and enjoy every decadent dessert Ms. Thomas writes about in her book... By the way, Ms. Thomas does give the names and addresses to many of her favorite food stops in both Paris and New York City at the end of her book.

Oh, and word of caution, this book actually made me hungry for many of the sweet treats discussed in each chapter and I happily consumed a wide variety of the ones mentioned from local bakeries here on the West Coast of the USA. Needless to say, I gained three pounds when all was said and done. At least I can say I enjoyed every tasty morsel!! Enjoy the journey is my new motto... Or should I say read good books and eat tasty treats? ;-)

P.S. You may also follow Amy Thomas through her blog, Sweet Freak, to continue reading more of her food escapades!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

There's no simple answer for me to the question of whether I enjoy reading poetry or not. My first gut instinct is to say that reading poetry isn't my thing, but that isn't entirely true.

I should clarify by adding that poetry isn't the first thing I reach for when I want to read. Nor do I normally gravitate towards the poetry section when I visit bookstores and I rarely buy books of poetry. I can count on one hand how many books of poetry that I've purchased over my lifetime.

I find that poetry is better enjoyed by listening to someone else read it aloud, preferably the poet who wrote the poem, then to read the poem from a book. Poetry has a certain rhythm to it that comes alive when read out loud.

I also am sort of finicky about the sorts of poetry I enjoy reading or listening to... Some of it, I simply don't understand or even like... Other types of poetry, I absolutely love as it speaks to me or resonates within me in some way or another.

Friday, April 13, 2012

My reading slump has officially ended and I couldn't be more thrilled! I just finished reading Karen MacInerney's novel Murder on the Rocks, on this dreary, wet and rainy day here on California's central coast... A perfect day, in my opinion, to be indoors reading books, drinking hot tea or any other hot beverage for that matter... And, of course, blogging about what I've read.

Murder on the Rocks is the first novel I've read by Karen MacInerney. Murder on the Rocks is a cozy mystery novel and it is the first novel in MacInerney's The Gray Whale Inn Mystery Series. It's also worth noting that Murder on the Rocks was an Agatha Award Nominee in 2006.

I really enjoy reading cozy mystery novels. So, reading Murder on the Rocks was an easy decision for me to make. Plus, the idea of this novel's backdrop being set on an island off the coast of Maine, as well as the whole bed and breakfast motif, really captured my imagination right off the bat. Also, being able to download Murder on the Rocks for free to my iPad from Amazon.com was yet another incentive for me to download and read this novel.

Without spoiling the plot details of Murder on the Rocks, by retelling the storyline here on my blog, please read the following book description found on the author's website for a glimpse of what this cozy mystery is all about:

Thirty-eight-year-old Natalie Barnes has
quit her job, sold her house, and gambled everything on the Gray Whale
Inn on Cranberry Island, Maine. But she’s barely fired up the stove when
portly developer Bernard Katz rolls into town with a plan to replace
the endangered terns next door with a golf resort — and replace the Gray
Whale Inn with a parking lot.

When the town board approves Katz's
development, it looks like things couldn't get worse for Natalie. Then
she discovers his body at the base of a cliff — and the police finger
her as the killer.

You may also read an excerpt of Murder on the Rocks, which may also be found on the Karen MacInerney's website.

Murder on the Rocks was an easy and fast novel to finish reading. However, I felt that it was a mediocre read overall. It was filled with some exciting moments for a mystery novel, but the novel fell short of expectations. My main complaints regarding this novel? I thought some of the characters were underdeveloped and vague. Plus, the main character, Natalie Barnes, repeatedly did some stupid things to deter the police from quickly solving the case. This only made her look more and more like the murder suspect.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

"The Bookman is a registered charity that donates new and
used books to children and adults around the world who do not have easy
access to reading material."

I had the honor of meeting Mr. Irwin Herman (aka the Bookman) in 2010 at his book warehouse in San Diego with my mom and her neighbor. I'm in awe as to what Mr. Herman has achieved in promoting reading and learning. He seems to be very passionate and devoted in promoting literacy and education through providing access to free books for those in need. Mr. Herman spent a large amount of time talking with us about how he started his charitable organization, showing us around the warehouse, and talking about the promotion of reading and learning.... According to the Bookman website, an estimated 8 million books have been given away for free.

Here's more information about The Bookman provided from their website:

The Bookman is a global charitable
organization based in San Diego, California. A registered 501(c)3
charity, The Bookman supplies books free to teachers, institutions, and
groups that ask, providing they can pick them up, or have another agency do that for them. However, The Bookman is not a bookstore and does not provide books to individuals or sell to the general public.

Operated with all volunteer labor, the
organization now gives away almost one million new and used books per
year, primarily to groups and agencies serving the underprivileged, to
teachers, to our military veterans, families, and active-duty troops,
and to other charitable groups. Since its creation in 1990, The Bookman
has given away more than 8 million books to people in San Diego County
and through local charities, to every state and 70 other countries.
There are no restrictions on who can obtain free books - those who need
them can have them, as long as they are part of a deserving group and, as long as they can arrange to pick them up from the warehouse. The Bookman does not select, pack, or ship books.

The Bookman operates out of 5,000 square feet of warehouse space at the corner of 37th
St. and El Cajon Blvd. in San Diego. Donated by the building owner,
Jack Grace, the floor contains an estimated 150,000 volumes, with a
daily turnover of 2-3,000 books. Row after row of shelves neatly filled
with books of every description. Encyclopedia sets, classic literature,
self-help, biography, fiction, non-fiction, and reference books. You
name it and its there. More than one third of the usable space is
devoted entirely to children's books.

Hours of operation for the Bookman are Monday through Friday from 7:00am to 11:30am. The warehouse phone number is 619-521-9830.

After reading each article, I was curious to hear from actual readers who are members of a successful book club. I'd love to learn what makes your book club so successful and how you keep it thriving over the long haul. Any positive tips you are able to share here would be wonderful to read. The following are some basic questions I have about running a book club.

So, what does make your book club such a success? What tips for success or pitfalls should one avoid while running a book club? How to you select books to read? How long has your book club been in existence and how did you keep its longevity?

To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide.

To build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations.

To build more than 2,510 libraries around the world--more than Andrew Carnegie!

I think the idea of building free small libraries within communities around the world is a great idea. People within the community may leave a book and take a book... Another perfect way to exchange books and the love of reading with other like minded people!!

Check out the map on their website to see if a Free Little Library is located near you. If not, maybe you'll become inspired to start one in your own community!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

It's time to celebrate poetry this month!! Who is your favorite poet? My favorite poet is Maya Angelou!! I've seen Maya Angelou speak live twice and it was phenomenal as she sings, recites her poems, and much more!

One of my favorite poems by Maya Angelou is Phenomenal Woman. Watch the following video to hear Maya Angelou recite Phenomenal Woman.

I also enjoyed listening to Maya Angelou recite On the Pulse of Morning at President Clinton's inauguration in January 1993. Watch the following video to hear On the Pulse of Morning.

Who are your favorite poets & poems? Will you be reading poetry this month in honor of National Poetry Month?

Friday, April 6, 2012

It's wonderful to read what authors have to say about reading! Check out the link from Flavorwire to read these inspiring quotes!

I enjoyed the following quotes:

“Reading is the sole means by which we slip, involuntarily, often helplessly, into another’s skin, another’s voice, another’s soul.” — Joyce Carol Oates

“You should never read just for “enjoyment.” Read to make yourself smarter! Less judgmental. More apt to understand your friends’ insane behavior, or better yet, your own. Pick “hard books.” Ones you have to concentrate on while reading. And for god’s sake, don’t let me ever hear you say, “I can’t read fiction. I only have time for the truth.” Fiction is the truth, fool! Ever hear of “literature”? That means fiction, too, stupid.” — John Waters

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Ever wonder how books are printed and put together? I know I have always wondered how one is assembled. Glen Milner shot, directed, and edited the following video posted on Vimeo. Check out the video by clicking on the link above. Pretty nifty stuff, right?

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Okay, here's something novel for all those book lovers and nature enthusiasts.... A tent that looks like a book!! Yes, you read right, a tent that looks like a book!! I found this tent on the Field Candy website.

This book inspired looking tent sells for the whopping price of $792.59 and according to the Field Candy website the dimensions are as follows: "Size: L 355cm(11'8") x W 170cm(5'7") x H 140cm(4'7")(sleeps two people comfortably)." This tent comes with some nice amenities and is awfully cute to look at, but seems kind of pricey in my opinion.

Monday, April 2, 2012

I visited Costa Mesa, California over the weekend with my husband for a short weekend getaway.

While we were there we visited a bookstore chain called Book Off Bookstore, which is an eclectic mix of both English and various Asian Language books, comics, magazines, cds, dvds, and games. Many of the items are used, but in good condition and sold at low prices. Book Off even buys products from customers as well.

We enjoyed visiting the Book Off storefront as it is clean, well lit and maintained, nicely organized with a large and varied selection of merchandise for sale. You'll also find an ample amount of free parking their storefront.

Many of the books seen for sale were offered at a dollar a piece, in nice condition, and the sorts of books that are currently popular reads.

I was tempted to add more books to my ever growing collection, but managed to walk away empty handed! Perhaps next time I find myself at a Book Off location, I'll purchase a few books to add to my collection!

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Welcome to my book blog, Captivated Reader!! I hope you enjoy reading my posts. Please feel free to leave me relevant comments on my blog posts. Happy reading!!
~As an FYI to my blog readers, I DO NOT make money when promoting book blasts. I only share books on my blog that I think readers make enjoy reading themselves. Nor to I belong to any affiliates programs.~